High schools, private sector more often teaming up

We detailed earlier Monday a new agreement between the Lakewood City School district and First Federal Lakewood, a Lakewood-based bank, that will pay the schools $320,000 over 10 years for the naming rights to Lakewood's popular Lakewood Stadium.
That venue plays host to Lakewood High School track and field, football and soccer games, plus Lakewood St. Edward football games and a host of playoff games in football and soccer and district track meets; it's one of the most visible and publicized high school venues in the area, given the high-profile games it often hosts.
The agreement mirrors others other districts have made, including Strongsville — where the stadium is sponsored by Pat Catan's — and Midview in Lorain County, where a $350,000 gift paid for new turf at Adelsberg Stadium.
Here's a story I wrote last October detailing the issues facing high school athletic directors these days, as they've been forced into a fundraiser role in addition to the administrative duties they more traditionally have faced. That role change has been necessitated, as Lakewood's superintendent said in the above story, by state funding cuts and declining property tax collections.

Oh, Varejao

If you have been to a Cavs game this season, you've seen the dilemma the Cleveland Cavaliers face with Anderson Varejao:
Without Varejao, the Cavs would struggle even more than they already are; it's incredible to watch Varejao, and every young player should. He gets a hand on every ball, his jumper has improved dramatically and he may be more important to the Cavs than Kyrie Irving.
But Varejao's value never will be higher, and he could net an incredible return, including more draft picks. So trade him, or keep him? The Akron Beacon Journal's Jason Lloyd analyzes the decision well:
Now in his ninth season, Varejao is easily off to the best start of his career. He entered Saturday with a string of seven consecutive double-doubles, finishing each with at least 10 points, 15 rebounds and five offensive rebounds. The NBA hasn't witnessed a run of production like this since Moses Malone.
Charles Barkley called Varejao the best forward in the NBA behind LeBron James, which of course is intriguing because Varejao has only blossomed since James' departure. But more on that in a minute.
With all that production, with Varejao posting the type of numbers this league hasn't seen in 30 years, how could the Cavaliers possibly trade him now? Because it still might be the right thing to do.More NBA:

Like the Cleveland Cavaliers did with their practice facility in Independence, Cleveland Clinic Courts, the Chicago Bulls are pitching their new facility, across from the United Center on Chicago's near west side, as a prime opportunity for a naming rights sponsor. Crain's Chicago Business estimates that the team could get $1 million a year for those rights.
Speaking of the practice facility, I visited there for the first time a couple weeks back, and was struck by how cool it is. Every training room, office, etc. has a view of the court, which the Cavs say is by design; spokesman Tad Carper also told me that day that the team hears from former players, free agents and players from other teams that it's the best in the NBA, reflected by JJ Hickson's comments in The Plain Dealer the other day. When asked what he misses most about Cleveland, Hickson said — probably to Positively Cleveland's dismay — “The practice facility. It has to be the best in the league. It comes second to none.”

Sketches for a new arena in Seattle have popped up, and here are details from a TV station there:
“One looks like a big vent, one looks like a boat and one looks like the old King Dome,” said Bruce Zornes, a sports fan.
The first design resembles a glass shell around the arena and the second is rectangular with an open plaza.
The third is the “preferred choice” by designers. It features tall glass windows and steps aimed to create a front porch downtown feel.
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